Historic St. Mary’s City is hiring a special projects conservator to perform a conservation assessment survey on a legacy collection that includes Maryland’s first print house as well as slave quarters from a later occupation period as part of a Save America’s Treasures grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This position is a one year contract with potential for renewal.
Salary: $26.00 Hourly
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt; Contractual; Full-time (40 hrs/wk)
Reports to: Conservator
Work Conditions: Indoor lab work
Benefits: Subsidized Health Benefits, Limited Sick and Safe Leave
Overview
Historic St. Mary’s City is located on the St. Mary’s River, in a beautiful tidewater landscape of water, rolling hills, farmland, and forest. The 835-acre living history and archaeology museum is on the site of Maryland’s first capital (1634-1695). Our team is fortunate to build upon decades of cutting-edge research, with recreated structures in the historic town center, a Woodland Indian hamlet, a tall ship, and a tobacco plantation staffed by costumed or uniformed interpreters who help visitors understand the stories of Maryland’s history. Ongoing
archaeological excavations continue to reveal new information about life in the past, and a new visitors center, the Maryland Heritage Interpretive Center, will come online in 2026. The museum has identified more than 300 archaeological sites within the St. Mary’s City National Historic Landmark (NHL) and curates more than 6.5 million artifacts representing millennia of human history.
The museum is one of Southern Maryland’s leading tourism attractions and hosts an active school tour program. Its collections are a resource for professional archaeologists, scholars, and college students. The HSMCC historical archaeology field school, one of the longest-running field schools in the nation, attracts students from all over the United States, as well as from other countries. The museum is overseen by the Historic St. Mary’s City Commission (HSMCC), an independent agency of the State of Maryland, under the Office of the Governor. Although the Commission is state funded, external grants and philanthropy are increasingly important sources of support for operating and capital funding.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Special Projects Conservator is responsible for performing a conservation survey of
archaeological artifacts recovered from 17th- and 19th-century domestic sites as part of a Save America’s Treasures grant project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Responsibilities include pulling artifacts from collections storage, taking digital x-rays and performing condition assessments on artifacts, entering data into Re:discovery (a digital database), rebagging and rehousing artifacts as needed, as well as other duties as assigned. Additionally, there may be occasional public outreach opportunities where it will be expected that the special projects conservator helps the archaeology and collections department engage
the public by discussing current on-going projects. The aim of this project is to determine which martifacts from these sites need interventive conservation treatment, helping to fulfill the Historic St. Mary’s City Commission’s (HSMCC) mission: to preserve and protect the archaeological and historical record of Maryland’s first colonial capital and to appropriately develop and use this historic and scenic site for the education, enjoyment, and general benefit of the public. This is a one-year contract with the opportunity for renewal. This position pays $26/hour and is full-time (40 hours per week), non-exempt.
For more information please visit our website for the full Job Position Posting.
